All About Parasites and How to Reduce Your Parasitical Biome

Even in the United States, it is still easy to become infected with parasites through contaminated water, 1 ingesting meat that isn’t cooked completely, 2 domesticated animals, 3 walking barefoot in dirt, 4 swimming in improperly treated water, 5 and even eating unwashed fruits and vegetables. 6 Parasites can cause a vast range of digestive problems from GERD, to abdominal pain, to IBS, to complete abdominal distress.7

A well-known misunderstanding is that a greater quantity of parasite ingestion comes from eating meat than from eating vegetables. This myth is propagated in horror stories of factory farming. Animals from these horrible factory farms are regularly tested for parasite infections and are treated for them as well. In addition, as long as the meat is thoroughly cooked, all parasites that might be in the infected meat are destroyed from the heat of cooking. Most parasites in the human diet actually come from raw food, especially vegetables. 8 Vegans also might have higher parasite loads in their body than meat consumers, because of the improper cleaning of raw vegetables. 9

Most often, intestinal parasite diagnosis comes from a stool sample that can be taken by your doctor. A blood test can also be used in some cases to test for parasites.10 Metametrix also offers parasite tests for clients that can’t get their doctors to order them a test that would find out their parasite load.

Piperine Theory – The Golden Bullet for Parasite Treatment?

Piperine is used both in the treatment of parasites and worms in animals 11 and as a medication in the treatment of schizophrenia in humans. 12 One of the proposed theories of schizophrenia is that it might be caused by a parasite infection. It has even been implicated that some patients develop schizophrenia because they have become infected with the common parasite T. Gondii. 1314

If this correlation is based in truth, then a simple biopiperine extract in supplement form can be very useful in treating parasite infections. Piperine is a natural alkaloid of piperidine found in black pepper. 15 It has been shown to eliminate parasite populations with less side effects than that of piperidine drugs. 16

The exact mechanism of action for piperine’s elimination of parasites is not currently known. It has been theorized that piperine might cause paralysis in parasites by increasing the permeability of schistosome cell membranes. This increase in permeability causes an influx of calcium ions into the cell membranes, which may cause the parasites to become dislodged from the site of action and eventually be killed by phagocytosis (engulfing by white blood cells.) 17 Piperine might also decrease adenosine uptake by the parasites. The lack of adenosine uptake by the parasites creates mitochondrial disruption and massive amounts of oxidative stress, which causes the parasites to tire to the point of death. 18

Piperine can increase the absorption of supplements and medications and should be taken two hours before or after ingestion of any medicines and supplements. The reason for time precautions in piperine ingestion is to decrease the chance of a possible overdose caused by too much concentration of a medication or supplement in the blood. 19

Diatomaceous Earth – The Silver Bullet for Parasite Treatment?

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring rock made from the skeletons of fossilized algae. 20 When food-grade diatomaceous earth is ground into a fine powder and ingested, it can be used to kill of parasites in the human body. When the razor-sharp edges of the diatoms encounter the parasites, it punctures their cellular walls. It is recommended that the diatomaceous earth is mixed with water when taken so that the risk of inhalation is very low. Diatomaceous earth can be irritating to the lungs, so try not to breathe in the dust. 212223

I would suggest mixing ½ tsp in a glass of water twice a day (upon waking and before bed) for a week and slowly working up to one teaspoon twice a day. I would not use the diatomaceous earth drink more than three times a day. The diatomaceous earth should be taken for at least a month but no more than three months. Mix the diatomaceous earth with purified water.

Thanks, John. Did you change your recommendation of the type of Vitamin C? I see sodium ascorbate is what is now listed. I bought Ester C which I’m sure was listed before -is that still good/ok? I’ve left it a while to start the protocol due to thyroid/adrenal issues, worried my system mightn’t handle it!

I’m considering trying the bioperine. I have an unopened bottle of CoQ10, however, that I bought recently and noticed that each 100 mg cap also has 5mg bioperine in it. If I took this twice a day would it have the same effect as just straight bioperine?

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About John Brisson

John Brisson is the author of Fix Your Gut: The Definitive Guide to Digestive Disorders. Due to his extensive knowledge on the subject of gut health, John has been tapped by prominent supplement companies as an educator and collaborator on product formulation. As a lifestyle counselor, he has logged thousands of hours assisting people with digestive disorders and coaching them to improve their overall health. John applies his experience and ample research full-time to the construction of a dynamic, evolving database of actionable, evidence-based information on digestive health. Beyond what can be readily accessed on his website and in his definitive e-book, supplementary info from John can be found all over the web in his activity on various health information hubs and forums (including his own Fix Your Gut Forum).